Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's control team is being celebrated for the vital work they do every day.

The team, based in Eastleigh, deals with around around 100 emergency 999 calls daily.

To mark International Control Room Week, which runs from October 21 to 27, the fire service is highlighting the importance of their control room firefighters.

These individuals manage the initial response to emergencies, deciding the scale of action needed and mobilising the right equipment and vehicles.

Phil Barrett, assistant director of Operational Support, said: "Control is the heart of the Service, making sure our crews and resources are deployed to the right place at the right time and providing vital communication and support throughout incidents.

"We are so grateful for the hard work, commitment and dedication of every one of our personnel in the control room – the volume of calls they resolve every day is testament to the professionalism, resilience, flexibility and efficiency of the team."

The team's work extends beyond just answering calls. They also deal with a range of incidents, including fires, chemical spills, road traffic collisions, and animal rescues.

The control room plays a crucial role in coordinating responses to emergencies and providing reassurance to callers until help arrives.

A spokesperson for the service said: "Although it is imperative that the teams deal with emergency calls as quickly as possible, it is of equal importance to ask the right questions and gain the most information possible from callers.

"This is so they can deploy the right resources and liaise with partners such as police, ambulance, coastguard, and utilities where needed.

"Often, they coordinate all this while remaining on the phone, to sometimes traumatised people, as a voice of reassurance until firefighters arrive."